However, Parasite has now firmly established him as one of the world's leading filmmakers.

Image:The Park family have an aspirational lifestyle in a gorgeous house. Pic. Studio Canal

What's the inspiration?

Bong came up with the idea for Parasite in 2013, prompted by the notion that "everyone loves to spy on the private lives of strangers".

The director himself was briefly a maths tutor for a rich family when he was a student, but unlike Ki-woo in the film, he was fired after just a few months. He says it's because he was "horrible at maths".

Bong doesn't specifically label any of his characters as villains, and the identity of the "parasites" of the title is open to interpretation.

In his director's statement he calls the film "a comedy without clowns, a tragedy without villains, all leading to a violent tangle and a headlong plunge down the stairs".

Image:Bong Joon-ho has taken home four Oscars and made history for his win

Is it subtitled?

Yes. The story is set in South Korea, and the actors speak Korean throughout.

The film did not qualify for the best picture category in the Golden Globes for this very reason, as the Globes stipulate each nominee must feature "more than 50% English dialogue".

This is why the Oscars win is such an epic victory; Parasite is not only the first Korean film to take home the best picture prize, but the first of any foreign language films to win.

Some might argue that the The Artist, which won best picture in 2012, was a French film, however it was silent - and also set in Hollywood and distributed by The Weinstein Co in the US.

HBO is reportedly planning to adapt the film into an English language TV series, with Bong and Vice director Adam McKay heading up the production.

Bong told Deadline he wanted to cram in all the ideas that wouldn't fit into the two-hour film, and has said he wants to expand on the story rather than remake it.

It is not yet known whether this production will be set in the US or South Korea.

Image:Fans will be pleased to hear there's likely to be a TV show to follow. Studio Canal

What has Bong said about his awards success?

The filmmaker appeared stunned as the awards just kept on coming.

When he was called on stage to collect the directing prize, he said: "After winning best international feature, I thought I was done for the day and ready to relax."

He then quoted Martin Scorsese, his fellow nominee, saying: "When I was young and studying cinema, there was a saying that I carved deep into my heart, 'What is the most personal, is the most creative'."

He added: "I will drink until next morning."

How have people in South Korea reacted?

It's a momentous win, so people in Bong's home country are understandably very happy.

"Can you believe that Parasite won the Academy best picture?" South Korea's biggest newspaper, Chosun Ilbo, said in a headline. "It rewrote the Academy's 92-year-old history."

Image:People in South Korea are celebrating Parasite's win

Bong, Parasite and other Oscar-related news dominated search terms at major internet portal sites on Monday, despite the country being preoccupied with the outbreak of coronavirus in nearby China.

South Korea has had 27 cases reported, although no deaths.

However, any worries were on hold on Monday as people celebrated Parasite's milestone win.

President Moon Jae-in tweeted to say he is proud of Bong and his staff, and "particularly grateful to them for giving courage and pride to our people who are overcoming difficulties".

At Bong's former university, Seoul's Yonsei University, students belonging to a school film club watched the Academy Award ceremony together.

"It's deeply meaningful for Korean movies and this will open the path for further development. It's such a great honour. I'm speechless," said Kim Nam-hoon, 21.

Jeong Ho-cheol, a 26-year-old student, praised Bong for pleasing both movie critics and crowds. "His way of dealing with the underside of Korean society and problems such as rich-poor gaps and the way he expresses those issues are very expressive," he said

Park Chan-wook, a prominent South Korean movie director who is regarded as Bong's main rival in their home country, joined the congratulations.

It is a "huge blessing to work in the same industry as a person as talented as Bong and being able to call him a friend," he said in an interview with the Munhwa Ilbo newspaper.

Image:Bong Joon-ho shared the best director prize with Sam Mendes (1917) at the Critics' Choice Awards

What other big awards has Parasite already won?

The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, and was unanimously voted the winner of the Palme d'Or - the first Korean film to win the prestigious prize.

It won the Golden Globe for best foreign language film too, while Bong shared the best director prize with Sam Mendes (1917) at the Critics' Choice Awards, as well as taking best foreign language film.

At the BAFTAs, it won the awards for original screenplay and film not in the English language.

When can I see it?

Parasite is out in 150 UK cinemas now, and will then be released in a further 300 from mid-February.